Sweet and Sour Chicken: a lighter home recipe with a clear finish · AU

What changes—and what stays

From a restaurant serving with unmeasured oil and sides often reaches 600–800 kcal to 420 calories

Sweet and Sour Chicken: Stir-fry diced chicken until cooked through, then remove from wok. Stir-fry diced capsicum and onion until softened. Return chicken to the wok, add pineapple chunks. In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and a splash of water to make the sauce. Pour sauce over ingredients in the wok and stir-fry until sauce thickens and coats everything. Serve with cooked brown rice. 20g tomato paste; 15g brown sugar. Sweet and Sour Chicken: capsicum · onion · tomato paste · rice vinegar · brown sugar. The chicken is cooked, vegetables are tender-crisp, and the sauce is glossy and coats all ingredients evenly.

Ingredients for 2

Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.

• 250gchicken breast
• 100gbrown rice
• 80gtinned pineapple chunks, drained
• 150gcapsicum
• 100gonion
• 20gtomato paste
• 30mlrice vinegar
• 15gbrown sugar

Method

Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.

1

Step 1 · follow the visible cue

Prepare the measured ingredients

Sweet and Sour Chicken — chicken breast · brown rice. Prepare chicken breast, brown rice, and tinned pineapple chunks, drained in the listed amounts. Keep wet components separate and cut pieces for their different cooking times.

Look for: Sweet and Sour Chicken — chicken breast · brown rice · tinned pineapple chunks, drained. chicken breast, brown rice, and tinned pineapple chunks, drained are evenly prepared and accurately measured, with no unintended water left in the preparation bowl.

2

Step 2 · follow the visible cue

Build the defining flavour

Sweet and Sour Chicken — tinned pineapple chunks, drained · capsicum. Add capsicum, onion, and tomato paste in an order that softens strong aromatics without scorching the delicate seasonings.

Look for: Sweet and Sour Chicken — capsicum · onion · tomato paste. capsicum, onion, and tomato paste smell rounded and remain recognisable, with no black specks, raw spice smell, or separated oil.

3

Step 3 · follow the visible cue

Cook with controlled heat

Sweet and Sour Chicken — onion · tomato paste. For the main cooking stage, Stir-fry diced chicken until cooked through, then remove from wok. Stir-fry diced capsicum and onion until softened. Return chicken to the wok, add pineapple chunks. In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and a splash of water to make the sauce. Pour sauce over ingredients in the wok and stir-fry until sauce thickens and coats everything. Serve with cooked brown rice.. Control both heat and surface moisture rather than correcting later with extra oil or sauce.

Look for: Sweet and Sour Chicken — Stir-fry diced chicken until cooked through, then remove from wok. Stir-fry diced capsicum and onion until softened. Return chicken to the wok, add pineapple chunks. In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and a splash of water to make the sauce. Pour sauce over ingredients in the wok and stir-fry until sauce thickens and coats everything. Serve with cooked brown rice.. The chicken is cooked, vegetables are tender-crisp, and the sauce is glossy and coats all ingredients evenly.. Check the thickest or coolest part rather than judging only the browned surface.

4

Step 4 · follow the visible cue

Finish and verify the texture

Sweet and Sour Chicken — rice vinegar · brown sugar. Add rice vinegar and brown sugar at the point where their aroma remains clear. Rest briefly and divide Sweet and Sour Chicken into two equal portions.

Look for: Sweet and Sour Chicken — The chicken is cooked, vegetables are tender-crisp, and the sauce is glossy and coats all ingredients evenly.. Sweet and Sour Chicken holds its intended shape and colour, with no unwanted water, fat, or loose coating around the serving plate.

Calories at the same serving size

The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 2 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.

Frequently asked questions